The Love of Power into the Power of Love

It was inspiring this morning to read in my mail,  some words by Edgar Mitchell, one of the many astronauts who had a life changing experience upon seeing our beautiful blue planet from space. He described himself as "a pragmatic test pilot, engineer and scientist"  Yet after his "breathtaking experience of seeing planet Earth floating in the vastness of space" from Apollo 14 on the moon, he had an instant direct knowing that life in the universe is no accident.  His vision of the future reads like this :- "The union of head and heart, insight and instinct, will ensure that science comes to comprehend the non-material aspect of reality as well as it knows the material, our knowledge will become wisdom, our love of power will become the power of love, and the universal human of cosmic consciousness will emerge."

It's fascinating that so many space travellers come back changed people...and fantastic that we can now all visualise our planet from space .. and perhaps reach for that universal perspective, in whatever form it may take!

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!

I turned on the radio in the car in time to hear a well known (now retired) politician being asked what would be his favourite song. He said with no hesitation 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong. I loved his choice and even more his reasoning!  He spoke of coming out of high powered political meetings, and seeing the daffodils in spring, the roses in summer and feeling the stability and beauty of nature .... of the value for love and friendship between people...and of making opportunity for the next generation to learn and improve ....  That, I thought was the most sensible thing I'd heard from any politician in a long time!!! And in a fast changing and often disturbing world, how important to work out what is really important in life.

What's happened to religion?

Had an email from a friend yesterday talking about a recent Dawkin's program on religion, morality and sexuality. His point was that 'religious peoples' behaviour when it came to the so called sexual 'taboos' was exactly the same as the non religious. The only difference being that 'religious' folks lied about it and felt guilty! Whilst I could see where they were coming from, it made me feel very sad to see how easily the flaws in all the major religions, where politics, power and control are often more of the driver than a simple love of God and life, so easily puts people off the idea of religion itself...that very simple  relationship between a person and that amazing intelligence which both created and maintains life, including our own!

The Human Deal

Had a get together last night with some good friends. We were discussing what is the basic deal for humans on earth - good question!  What are some of the issues that face us all, whoever we are and wherever we are born?

Some of the ones we talked around were these:-

1. We all find ourselves alive on the planet in a time which is teeming with possibilities but also full of problems.
2. We are all born  knowing nothing ... like an empty computer!
3. We start to fill up with information ...and this can either lead to a life which is refining itself or getting more crude, more course...the choice being up to us ( given personal circumstances do make this easier or harder)
4. Somewhere along the line, we decide if  life, in our view,  is a one time shot, or is this life part of a spiritual journey - and this  makes a huge difference to how we live our life and think about absolutely everything!

5. As people, no-one is an island unto themselves and to think so, is to cut ourselves off from the sense that we mix and merge with the influences of other people, different energies and influences all the time  .... and this is a fundamental part of what we are and who we become.
It was a great evening and felt really refreshing to be spending time together casting our mind over some of these really profound questions ! 
Love to hear some thoughts from other bloggers!

Collaboration, not Competition, We, not I

        
Saw another inspired TV program the other evening  (Yes,  TV?? Strange but true!!)  The hub of what was being discussed was again about finding new templates for a more humane tomorrow.... two phrases really caught me 

"Collaboration  rather than Competition"
"We, rather than I"

Those mind shifts could really make a difference!

Evolution or Extinction

I saw a fascinating program on one of the less popular TV channels the other night ...an interview with a chap called Dr Robin Wood.   The central theme of his chat was that humanity is facing a simple choice ... evolution or extinction !  I was caught by the fact that there was a TV program  bringing up such profound questions and wondered how many people around the globe also feel that not only are we are facing such a critical turning moment in history  ... but that we have a part to play in influencing the outcome.  Robin is pioneering something he calls Renaissance 2, and asks us to imagine living in a Solar Civilisation powered completely by renewable energy, with people living in resilient habitats in tune with nature, operated by enlightened enterprises, wise culture and conscious, integral leadership aligned with a full spectrum of healthy values. He believes that crisis catalyses evolution through creativity and that this is the best time ever to be alive. He likens the time we are in today to the extraordinary fertile flowering of art, literature, music, science and learning which began to blossom around five hundred years ago and is very much looking at the practicalities of new business models, new ways of living which will not only have economic success but which would incorporate the fundamental values of humanity and spirituality.

There is a lot one could debate about this, but there was one feature which I found very significant...which is that thoughts and ideas which began as philosophical and perhaps a little flowery, idealistic and very 'fringe' back in the sixties are now being translated  into very practical ideas about pioneering a new culture - a new civilisation. Only 50 years later!  It made me ponder just what does it really take, to make that next evolutionary leap and just what might be achieved in another fifty years ! 

Third Vector

I'm working at the moment on a small video about Aboriginal Culture for our Templates for Change You tube Channel.     I was really struck by a quote from one of the Aboriginal Elders when asked about reconciliation with the current state of affairs and population in Australia.  They said that it was impossible to talk about reconciliation when there had never been any agreement in the first place...the one implied the other.
I found that really profound ... and in many ways it applies to so many of the stand-offs in the world today, whether it be in politics or religion.
They went on to say that the way all the Australians could come together, was through a common healing and purpose ..and the way that could happen was through a shared concern and nurturing of the planet..which would in turn look after, heal and bring them all together.  What  a gem of wisdom !  Perhaps, it is in the finding of that 'third vector' - rising into the  the bigger picture, shared values and  importances  ... that the reasons behind old  battles could be left behind and a better future forged.